Article of jewelry and clasp therefor



x l. PRATT 'ET AL ARTICLE OF JEWELRY AND CLASP THEREFOR Filed A ril 25, 1946 INVENTORS Irwin Pratt Z'f BarnardWuZZmam BY lg LTTQRNEY Patented Feb. 22, 1949 ARTICLE OF JEWELRY AND CLASP THEREFOR Irwin Pratt, Brooklyn, and Wolf Bernard Wollman, Jackson Heights, N. Y.

Application April 23, 1M6, Serial No. 664,196

8 Claims.

This invention relates to an article of jewelry in the nature of a bracelet or necklace; more particularly, our invention relates to an article of jewelry in the nature of a bracelet or necklace and clasp therefor.

It is contemplated by our invention, and it is an object thereof, to provide in combination with or for use with an ornamental strand, braid, rope or like flexible element, a clasp which may join one terminal end of such element with the body portion of the element so that a side by side overlap connection may be effected. It is contemplated by our invention to provide in an article of jewelry comprising a braid, rope, string, chain, snakechain, wire, or narrow band, a clasp whereby the ornamental strand element, which may or may not be extensible, may be convoluted by the wearer so as to provide either a bracelet or necklace.

Still more particularly, it is an object of our invention to provide a clasp whereby elongated jewelry strand elements, such as a mesh band, a string of pearls, wire, rope, braid, band, link, chain may be held in predetermined overlapping position against relative slidable' movement in order to permit a wide variety of arrangement of the extensible strand element, in the form of convolutes, knots or other ornamental configurations.

Still further objects of our invention reside in the provision of a clasp for holding relatively indeterminate lengths of material in adjusted position.

To obtain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein or be hereinafter pointed out, we make reference to the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing our invention in-the form of a necklace;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the same device as a bracelet;

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the clasp element;

Figure 6 is a section taken on the line -6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing another method of arranging the item illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

Making reference to the drawing, it is contemplated by us to provide for a strand element of indeterminate length, such as a snake chain, braid, rope, band, chain, string of pearls, string of beads, means for joining this relatively flexible element in variously convoluted positions. In the illustration, the flexible strand of indeterminate length comprises a snake chain I ll (1 e. 0 3 coiled wire generally tubularly formed and partially laminated) whose terminal ends II and 12 may be convoluted to form an overlap, contacting at l3.

The terminal ends I l and I2 are each anchored in a clasp l4 comprising a body portion I5, one end of which is formed with a loop '16. The branch I! has hinged to it a locking element I8 by the complementary intermeshing knuckles l9, through which the pintle-pin 20 passes. The bow shaped locking element has a latching nose 2|, engaging the lip 22, formed on the upper curved end of the body portion l5. An ear 23 provides finger engaging extension for manual operation, to move the locking element from latched position against the engagement of the nose and lip.

It will be observed that the clasp M as thus described defines a permanent loop in the form of a socket 24 and a detachable locking loop 25. The socket 24 may be closed by a side wall 26, though this wall may be omitted for purposes which will appear hereinafter.

From the construction shown, one terminal of the strand I2 is anchored in the socket 24 as by soldering, brazing or the like. The terminal I I has the complemental clasp turned with the looking loop upwardly directed.

When in overlapping position, as' shown in Figure 1 and by releasing the locking loop manually, the strand may be moved through the loops 25 to secure any desired adjustment of the strand parts in relation to each other to accommodate the neck of the wearer, or to encircle the same in any desirable way.

This same piece of jewelry may be convoluted upon the wrist of the wearer to provide a bracelet such as shown in Figure 2, in which event the strand is long enough to have several contigulength of the strand to any desired position, leaving the locking loop free for engagement along the contiguous section of the strand.

It will also be understood that the locking element i8 is designed to provide a frictional fit over the strand which is directed between the jaws formed by the body element 15 and the locking element i8, when the nose Zfl and lip 22 are latched.

It will be understood that the body element J5 may have attached to it, on its outwardly faced side any desirable form of ornamentation. In the illustration, floral settings 32 and 33 are shown affixed to the clasps at the terminal ends H and I2, respectively, to fortify the aesthetic appearance of the clasps at these points.

It will further be understood that. while we? have described and illustrated the strand convoluted contiguously in overlapping position in-- Figures 1 and 2, in the former figure to form a necklace and in the latter figure to' form a bracelet-,the strand may be directed into orna- .mental; twistedidesigns, as more clearly illustrated in Figure '7.

It. will be understood that .while we have: shown a. pair of Clasps at the terminal ends of thestrands, a single clasp may be used to act as a shortener for any strand of indeterminate length providing an. easily adj ustable connection. Thus, the: permanent loop pin'tion of the clasp mayhave passed therethrough one element of the strand: and the locking jaw may thereafter be: usedto pinch and hold the strandina predeterminedlyaadjusted position, upon manually snapping-or latching the hingeable locking. element into-engagement over the strand;

.lt will be understood that while. we have illus-v trated soecalledsna'ke type of flexible strand-i other strands maybeemployedsuch as the here'- tofore mentioned string of pearls orbeads, a mesh braid or metal ribbon, a drawn metal rope or a chain.

It will be understood that while'we have described and' illustrated our invention in. connection with an extensible type-of article of jewelry,,-v rhich.maybe readily converted from a necklace to a bracelet vor vice versa, wherein theconvolutions are contiguous, it will be understood that'the overlapping ends ,of the strands maybe intertwined'to present different ornamental effects-..

It will also be understood that while-we-have describedtand illustrated a strand whereinthe convolutions are contiguous, thestrand may be drapedupon the bodyof the wearer in various other-forms, which will readily be apparent to thejskilled. jeweler.

It-will also'be observed that the clasp which we provide, including the strap-like memberwhichdefines a pair of spaced apart loops' to frictionally hold the strand member which" is correspondingly shaped, vserves to hold the-layers of: strands contiguously, to give an immobile Our; invention though illustrated in the a form of a continuous strand for alteration from a necklaceito a bracelet, is applicable to strands-of like; nature employed aspart of. a wrist-watch bracelet s11chs-as an expanding flexible or non flexiblebracelet holding a watch. Especiallyis this'valuable to the extensiblespring type bracelet'zwhich, in .time,.may-=become distended. By ourrinvention the distension-caused by fatigue oflth'e springs or elongation of the link-members may-becompensatedby sliding-thecIasp-member"- 4 to a new position to take up the slack due to wear. I

Having thus described our invention and illustrated its use, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an extensible type of bracelet, necklace or like article of jewelry comprising a strand member, arrangedto beconvolnted to be accommodated to difierent sizes, the combination therewith of a clasp comprising adjacent loop portions arranged in parallelism, one of which loop portionsgisclosedand the other of which is formed from the body and has a branch directed over the same with an end extended substantially radially thereof, pivot means on said end hingedly mounting a disengageable locking element, cooperating Witlrthebodyr-of the clasp to form the second loop, the locking element in the detached position forming an open sided loop for lateral attachment of the clasp to any portion of the strand member:

lnyan extensible type of" bracelet, necklace" or the-lili'e article ofjewel'ry comprising a strand" member of indeterminate length arranged to be convoluted to be accommodated t'odiiferent sizes,

a terminal of which'strand has attached thereto a clasp comprising adjacent loops, one of which loops isclosedand'th'e' other of which is formed from the-body and includes a branch. thereof directjed iover'the samewith an end extended subizig element {in thedet'ached positioni forming an open sidedj loop. for lateralattachment of the clasntdanyrortion of the strandlmember.

3'. In an extensible type of bracelet, necklace or thelikecarticleot jewelry comprising a strand me nbferof indeterminate lengtharranged to'be convolutedrto be accommodatedrtodifierent sizes,

a terminal of'which strand hasattached thereto a-clasp?comprising-adjacent loops on e of which loops is closedand the 1 other of.- which is formediromrthe bodye-andwincludes a branch thereof directed iovergthesamewith; an 7 and extended substantially 1 radially thereof-,- pivot rmeans on saidend provided with a hingeable locking element formi i l a detachable closure for the second loop andi'engagingrtherbody portion thereof, said lockwhereof there is; provided a clasp to hold portions of: saidrstra'nd contiguously and-including a body portion having a branch defining a-'-complete loop,

and-an extension-portionthe said =branch -of-which 100p extends over the extension and includes hingedthereto a locking elementcooperating-with extension portion to provide a second loop, to'

hold' por'tionsbf said strand contiguously, the

locking element in the detached position forminganppensided loop' for lateral attachment of the clasp to any portion of the strand member.

5': In an article of jewelry of the character de scribed comprising a strand, adjacent each 'end whereof there is provided a clasp to hold por-- tions -of-said-;straindconti'guouslyand including a-body portionhaving a br-anch-defining a com-- mete-loop; and f an -extension. portion; the said branch-- of which- -loopextendsover the extension"- and includes hinged thereto a locking element cooperating with the extension portion to provide a second loop, to hold portions of said strand contiguously, said first loop including a side wall defining a socket to receive a terminal portion of said strand, the locking element in the detached position forming an open sided loop for lateral attachment of the clasp to any portion of the strand member.

6. An article of jewelry comprising a clasp of a rigid, strap-like member, shaped to form a substantially U-shaped bend terminating into a short branch portion and a long branch portion, the short branch portion having pivoted to the free end thereof, a hingeable locking element coopcrating with the long branch portion to form an encircling loop whereby strand members may be held in contiguous position, and means for latching the locking element and long branch portion to each other, the locking element in the detached position forming an open sided loop for lateral attachment of the clasp to any portion of the strand member.

7. An article of jewelry comprising a clasp of a rigid, strap-like member, shaped to form a substantially U-shaped bend terminating into a short branch portion, and a long branch portion, the

short branch portion having pivoted to the free end thereof a hingeable locking element cooperating with the long branch portion to form an encircling loop whereby strand members may be held in contiguous position, and means for latching the locking element and long branch portion to each other, comprising a complementarily spaced latching nose and engaging lip, the looking element in the detached position forming an open sided loop for lateral attachment of the clasp to any portion of the strand member.

8. An article of jewelry in accordance with claim 6 wherein said U-shaped bend is formed at one side thereof with a wall forming a socket in which a terminal end of the strand may be anchored.

IRWIN PRATT. WOLF BERNARD WOLLMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES- PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 14,361 McLaughlin Sept. 18, 1917 80,676 Soule Aug. 4, 1868 

